title: Soluble TWEAK plasma levels increase after renal transplantation and associate with the improvement of endothelial function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) and asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) concentrations have been associated with endothelial function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We tested the hypothesis that the improvement in endothelial function observed after renal transplantation is directly linked to the normalization of both sTWEAK and ADMA.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-five kidney transplant recipients (71% men; 31·6 ± 9·4 years) were studied immediately before and on the 180th day post-transplantation. At each visit, blood samples were taken to assess circulating levels of sTWEAK and ADMA. Brachial artery endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (FMD) assessments were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Renal transplantation was followed by an improvement in FMD. This improvement was paralleled by an increase in sTWEAK and a reduction in ADMA after transplantation (P < 0·001 for all). Cross-sectionally, both molecules associated with FMD before as well as after transplantation (P < 0·001 for all). Longitudinally, the changes observed in sTWEAK (β = 0·26, P < 0·001) and ADMA (β = -0·44, P < 0·001) levels were independently associated with the improvement of FMD (r(2)  = 0·30).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Renal transplantation is followed by an improvement of FMD that is independently associated with the normalization of both sTWEAK and ADMA concentrations. We identify two surrogate biomarkers of endothelial function with potential as therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Gülhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sonmez
authors.forename: Mutlu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saglam
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Hilmi Umut
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gok
authors.forename: Hakki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eyileten
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Sebahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Ali Osman
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Abdulgaffar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carrero
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Blanco-Colio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000502:physiology; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001120:Arginine
keywords: ADMA; endothelial function; renal transplantation; sTWEAK